Vibration absorbing assembly for marine engines



E. LEIPERT iMay `17,- 1960 VIBRATICN ABSORBING ASSEMBLY FOR MARINEENGINES Filed March 14. 1958 INVENTOR.

EDWARD LEIPERT ATTORNEY rUnited States Patent VIBRATION ABSORBINGASSEMBLY FOR MARINE ENGINES Edward Leipert, West Hampton Beach, N.Y.Application March 14, 1958, Serial No. 721,514 7 claims. (C1. 60-97)This invention relates to marine propulsion devices and specifically toresilient vibration land sound absorbing mountsfor said structures. Thisapplication is a continuation-in-part of an application led January 20,1958, by Edward Leipert and given Serial No. 709,976.

Presently known inboard marine propulsion devices employing horizontallymounted engines have their motors secured directly to the hull of theboat. The motors are usually attached at four or more points to theboat. As a result, even though resilient mountings are employed, much ofthe vibration and noise generated in the engines and propulsion devicesis transmitted to the boat with consequent unpleasant eiects.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide anovel, single end mounted, motor support structure for horizontallydisposed small marine engines which will simplify installations andeliminate, within the end mounting, the transmission of vibrations tothe hull of the vessel.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide'a resilientmounting for the motor and drive section of a marine propulsion devicewhich will insulate these parts from the supporting structure which isirmly fastened to the vessel.

A further object of the present invention is to balance and secure themotor units about the support section to eliminate bending stresses atthe rubber mountings that would arise due to the weight of theoverhanging motors.

Another object of the present invention is to support the motor units ofthe marine propulsion device in such a manner as to create substantiallya shear stress only, on the rubber mountings.

A feature of the present invention is its resilient mounting meanswhereby the motor -section is joined to the drive section of thepropulsion device and both are rubber isolated from the main supportingstructure by the said resilient mounting.

Another feature of the present invention is the elimination of metal tometal contact between the main-supporting structure of the propulsiondevice and the engine with its propeller drive unit.

Still another feature of the present invention is the use of a truss barto tie the engines together and form a structural member with the rigidgear housing as the lower member.

A further feature of the present invention is the use of a structurallyrigid gear housing journaled into the rubber supported motor end mountto form a backbone upon which the engine and driving structures aresecured.

The invention consists of the construction, combination and arrangementsof parts, as herein illustrated, described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part hereof is illustrated oneform of embodiment of the invention and in which: l

Figure l is a rear View partially cut away of a complete embodiment ofthe propulsion device showing the vibration absorbing mounts inaccordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 in Figure l, looking inthe direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing, and particularly to Figures 1 and 2, 10indicates the hull of the boat in which there is secured a rigid mainsupport housing 11. The housing 11, which may be made of metal, isincorporated into the stern structure of the boat which is cut away toreceive the said housing. The housing 11 is provided with side walls 12,a top wall 13, and a partial bottom wall member 14.

Opposed openings 15 are provided in the spaced side walls 12 and a plate16 is bolted over each of the openings 15. The plates 16 are cut away asindicated at 17 to receive therethrough the bell housing 18 of themotors 19.

The portion of the bell housing 18 which is received within the opening17 of the plate 16 is made in two parts 18, 37 (as shown in Figure l)for purposes of assembly. When the two parts of the bell housing 18, 37,are secured together, by the bonding therebetween of the resilientmember 21 which is part of the vibration absorbing mounting assembly,they perform as a unitary structure. The vibration absorbing mounts 21which may bo made of rubber, neoprene or the like, are carried on eachside of the plate 16 adjacent the opening 17. The Vibration absorbingmounts 21 substantially fill the space between the bell housing 18 andthe plate 16. The opening 17 in the plate 16 is of a diameter somewhatlarger than the outside diameter of the bell housing member 37, wherethe bell housing member 37 extends through the opening 17. As a resultof the difference in diameters, the bell housing members 18, 37, arecarried within the opening 17 of the plate 16 without any metal to metalcontact between the plate 16 and the housing 18 as indicated at 38 inFigure l.

A rigid gear housing structure 22 is journaled within each bell housing18. The gear housing 22 is formed with opposed outwardly extendingbearing members 23 which extend well within the bell housing 18 asindicated at 24. Because of the rigidity of the gear housing 22 and thelength of bearing surface within the bell housing 18, the bearingmembers 23 of the gear housing 22 act as a backbone from which themotors 19 receive support. In addition, the bearings 23 serve toprevent, to a large extent, the tendency of the motors 19 to compressthe lower portion of the vibration absorbing mounts 21 due to theoverhanging weight of said motors since they are supported only at theirinboard ends. By reducing the compression upon the vibration absorbingmounts 21, substantially only shear forces will be present on the saidmounts, thereby causing them to operate at their greatest eiciency asvibration absorbing structures.

The gears 25, by means of which the propeller drive shaft 26 is rotated,are driven through a suitable coupling 27 which interconnects the motor19 with the said gears 25.

The coupling 27 is carried within the motor bell housing 18 by asuitable support structure 28.

The drive gears 25 consist of spaced vertically disposed gears 29 whichare in mesh with a horizontally disposed gear 30. The horizontal gear 30is connected to the splined upper portion of the propeller drive shaft26 as indicated at 31.

The outwardly extending bearing members 23 are carried, trunnionfashion, within the long bearing surfaces 24 ofthe bell housing 18 inthe side walls 12 of the housing 11 and permit the entire propellerdrive section gear housing 22 to swing upon the bearing surfaces. n thismanner, the propeller gear housing and the propeller 32 can swingupwardly out of the path of an under water obstacle or object in orderto prevent damage to the marine propulsion device.

Further vibration and shock absorbing properties are built into thestructure herein disclosed by the use of a rubber lined thrust bearing33 which is carried within the bottom plate 14 of the housing 1-1adjacent the lower tubular housing 34 of the propeller drive sectionassembly.

The lower housing 34 may be rotated for steering by means of spur gear35 without disturbing either the motors i9 or the gear housing 22.

As a further means of removing any bending forces from the vibrationmounts 21, there is provided a truss bar 36, which interconnects both ofthe motors 19 and forms in eiect a truss there between. Where heavymotors are employed the truss 36 will substantially eliminate anytendency of the motors to sag on either side of .the propulsion device.

While the embodiment illustrated has shown two motors 19 disposed inopposed relationship with respect to the gear housing, it is within thepurview of the present invention to employ only one motor and to mountother engine accessories such as a battery, gasoline tank, startingmechanism, etc., on the opposite side of the motor.

In the event that only a single motor is used, the accessories will beemployed to balance the weight of the motor and the hereinabovedescribed shear forces on the vibration mount will be achieved.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there has been provided avibration and sound absorbing structure for a marine propulsion devicein which the motors are disposed on either side of the propeller driveshaft and in which all vibration coming from the motors and the drivemechanism are insulated from the vessel to achieve quiet trouble freeperformance.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new anddesired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is: A l. Avibration absorbing assembly for an end mounted marine engine andpropulsion device comprising, a rigidly secured main housing, side wallson said housing, opposed openings in the side walls of said mainhousing, a first and second resilient vibration absorbing member withinsaid openings and secured therein, a motor for the propulsion device, anend bell housing on said motor, said motor end bell being bonded to theirst resilient member, whereby the motor is secured to the main housingsolely through the first resilient member, a gear housing in the mainhousing, outwardly extending bearing mem bers on said gear housingextending through the main housing openings and means including thesecond resilient member to support the motor upon the said bearingmembers.

2. A vibration absorbing assembly foran end mounted marine engine andpropulsion device comprising, a rigidly secured main housing, side wallson said housing, opposed openings in the side walls of said mainhousing, a resilient vibration absorbing member within each of saidopenings and secured thereto, spaced horizontally disposed motors forthe propulsion device, an end bell housing on each of said motors, saidmotor end bells being bonded to the resilient member on each side of thehousing, whereby each of the motors is secured to the main housingsolely through the resilient member, a gear housing in the main housing,outwardly extending bearing members on said gear housing extendingthrough the main housing openings, and means to support the motors uponthe said bearing members.

3. A vibration absorbing assembly for an end mounted marine engine andpropulsion device comprising, a rigidly secured main housing, side wallson said housing, opposed openings in the side walls of said mainhousing, a plate member overlying each of the openings and secured tothe housing, an opening in each of the plate members, a resilientvibration absorbing member within each of said plate openings andsecured on both sides of the plate adjacent thereto, spaced horizontallydisposed motors for the propulsion device, an end bell Yhousing on eachof said motors, said motor end bells being bonded to the resilientmember on each side of the housing plates, whereby each of the motors issecured to the main housing solely through the resilient member, a gearhousing in the main housing, outwardly extending bearing members on saidgear housing extending through the main housing plate openings, andmeans to support the motors upon the said bearing members.

4. A vibration absorbing assembly for an end mounted marine engine andpropulsion device comprising, a rigidly secured main housing, side wallson said housing, opposed openings in the side walls of said mainhousing, a resilient vibration absorbing member within each of saidopenings and secured thereto, spaced horizontally disposed motors forthe propulsion device, an end bell housing on each of said motors, saidmotor end bells being bonded to the resilient member on each side of thehousing, whereby each of the motors is secured to the main housingsolely through the resilient member, a truss member interconnecting saidmotors above the gear housing, a gear housing in the main housing,outwardly extending bearing members on said gear housing extendingthrough the main housing openings, and means to support the motors uponthe said bearing members.

5. A vibration absorbing assembly for an end mounted marine engine andpropulsion device comprising, a rigidly secured main housing, side wallson said housing, opposed openings in the side walls of said mainhousing, a plate member overlying each of the openings and secured tothe housing, an opening in each of the plate members, a resilientvibration absorbing member within each of said plate openings andsecured on both sides of the plate adjacent thereto, spaced horizontallydisposed motors for the propulsion device, an end bell housing on eachof said motors, said motor end bells being bonded to the resilientmember on each side of the housing plates, whereby each of the motors issecured to the main housing solely through the resilient member, a trussmember interconnecting said motors above the gear housing, a gearhousing in the main housing, outwardly extending bearing members on saidgear housing extending through the main housing plate openings, andmeans to support the motors upon the said bearing members.

6. A vibration absorbing assembly according to claim 2 in which theoutwardly extending bearing members are journaled within the bellhousings to permit the gear housing to swing Within the main housingwithout a metal to metal contact with said main housing, and support theopposed motors in horizontal alignment.

7. A vibration absorbing assembly for an end mounted marine engine andpropulsion device comprising, a rigidly secured main housing, side wallson said housing, opposed openings in the side walls of said mainhousing, a plate member overlying each of the openings and secured tothe housing, an opening in each of the plate members, a resilientvibration absorbingv member within each of said plate openings andsecured on both sides of the plate adjacent thereto, spaced horizontallydisposed motors for the propulsion device, an end bell housing on eachof said motors, said motor end bells being bonded to the resilientmember on each side of the housing plates, whereby each of the motors issecured to the main housing solely through the resilient member, a trussmember interconnecting said motors above the gear housing, a gearhousing in the main housing, outwardly extending bearing members on saidgear housing extending through the main housing plate openings, andmeans including a bore in each bell housing into which theaforementioned gear housing bearing members extend so as to support themotors.

(References on following page) 6 References Cited in the le of thispatent 2,229,153 Ware I an. 21, 1941 2,324,542 Schon July 20, 1943UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,389,778 Feddm et a1. Nov. 27, 1945 1,076,416Gammeter Oct. 21, 1913 2,504,988 Kronlund Apr. 25, 1950 1,899,490Wiedmann Feb. 28, 1933 5 1,963,432 Baudot :une 19, 1934 FOREIGN PATENTS2,046,558 Hussman July 7, 1936 256,151 Switzerland Feb. 16, 1949

